Google Earth It led to the discovery of 400 astonishing man-made stone structures in the Harrat Khyber region of Saudi Arabia. These stone structures sit atop lava domes that have been extinct for thousands of years. Some are found near volcanoes from which basaltic lava escaped long ago. These geometric structures consist of many very low, roughly built stone “walls” over a very long distance. The ends are closed with what archaeologists call “doors”, varying in size from 13 meters to 518 meters.
Google Earth reveals the existence of 400 mysterious stone structures
To further confuse scientists, the archaeologist behind the discovery, David Kennedy, notes that these gates are mainly found in very inhospitable lava fields that are “some of the least welcome places for our species.” And to add that the doors are “the oldest human structures in the landscape” and “no clear explanation of their function”. It is only thanks to Google Earth that these structures have been newly discovered. To date, there is no literature on them. Although some are partially covered by lava flows, their age remains a mystery.
That suggests they would have been built around 7,000 years ago, according to volcanologist Vic Camp, quoted by Live Science. It is quite surprising that such explorations can still be made with Google Earth. It’s been there, sort of, right under our noses for thousands of years. It remains, of course, to examine these ruins and understand the motivations of the ancient civilization at their origin.
